Trump renaming fiasco fuels jokes as Maher takes Kennedy Center’s Mark Twain prize

The ceremony highlighted Maher’s role as an ‘equal opportunity offender’ of the left and right. Photograph: Bonnie Cash/UPI/Shutterstock View image in fullscreen The ceremony highlighted Maher’s role as an ‘equal opportunity offender’ of the left and right. Photograph: Bonnie Cash/UPI/Shutterstock Trump renaming fiasco fuels jokes as Maher takes Kennedy Center’s Mark Twain prize Punchlines on president’s thwarted bid to have building named after him come thick and fast at Washington DC gala Outside the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts , a giant tarpaulin remained in place to conceal Donald Trump’s humiliation. Guests entering the national arts complex on Sunday night could not see the section of its marble facade where Trump’s name was recently erased to comply with a court order. But once they sat down for the Mark Twain prize for American humor ceremony, there was no hiding place as performers delivered punchlines at the expense of a US president whose power appears to be waning, at least in this corner of Washington DC. Paying tribute to this year’s recipient, the comedian Bill Maher , the actor Woody Harrelson said: “Finally, an award for my dear friend – ironically at the Trump Kennedy Center. No, all right, we fixed that.” View image in fullscreen The actor Woody Harrelson at the ceremony, flanked by his wife, Laura Louie, and the TV personality Stephen A Smith. Photograph: Nathan Posner/Shutterstock The audience erupted in applause. Then, apparently acknowledging the tarp-coated scaffolding, Harrelson added: “Not as though you’d be able to notice.” Trump seized control of the Kennedy Center last year, installing himself as its chair. His handpicked board voted to rename it the Trump Kennedy Center and affix his name to the wall. But last month, a judge ruled that the addition of Trump’s name to the building was illegal and ordered that the 18 letters be removed. On Sunday, a step-and-repeat backdrop to the red carpet featured the name “Kennedy Center” without Trump’s name, but framed photos of the president, the first lady, Melania Trump, the vice-president, JD Vance, and the second lady, Usha Vance, remained on the wall. The legal saga surrounding the building became immediate fodder for jokes at the gala. Former late night host Jay Leno said on the red carpet: “ This is funny to me. It’s not war, it’s not antisemitism, it’s not racism – it’s vanity. It’s so silly, it’s like high school with money. Covering the name now – hilarious! It’s high school. ‘I’ll show them, I’ll cover the name!’ ” View image in fullscreen Maher with the former late night host Jay Leno. Photograph: Bonnie Cash/UPI/Shutterstock During the ceremony, which Trump did not attend, the comedian Whitney Cummings quipped: “I’m just glad we all celebrated Bill tonight, even though Trump is now the board chair of this venue. He actually does have a lot of power here and he has a say what productions go on here, so enjoy this fall’s three-month run of White Hami